The Pittsburgh Steelers currently have only three quarterbacks on the roster, with the fourth and final spot reportedly being reserved for a veteran presence. That presence is expected to be Aaron Rodgers, who has been linked to Pittsburgh since the offseason began. However, due to various personal complications, a deal has yet to materialize.
While no official agreement has been reached or signed, the Steelers have shown considerable patience with Rodgers. The ongoing saga continues, and although a finalized deal doesn’t appear imminent, there has reportedly been a verbal commitment between the two sides.
“I just think verbally, behind the scenes, not that he guaranteed it, but he’s told [the Steelers], ‘Listen, I’m gonna play for you. I just don’t want to go there and then miss part of mandatory minicamp because of my personal issues. I’m pretty sure they’re gonna be solved by the end of May, at least in my satisfaction where I can give you my all,’” Ian O’Connor said.
Rodgers has been dropping subtle hints that he intends to join the Steelers. However, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler suggested that he may be waiting to see how another team’s quarterback situation develops.
“I can’t say he’s rooting for [McCarthy] to get hurt, it’s just sort of a back-of-mind feeling of that maybe he’s sort of waiting that out. It’s hard with Aaron Rodgers because he’s so unpredictable and this is his first foray into free agency, so I can’t even begin to get into his mind,” Fowler said.
Even if Rodgers does end up in Pittsburgh, Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay believes his starting spot may not be secure for long.
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“If Rodgers cannot summon the magic of his early career, they could opt to give Will Howard a fair shake in the latter stages of the campaign,” Kay wrote.
For now, Rodgers remains the quarterback the Steelers are focused on, especially given how long they’ve waited. Still, Will Howard is a confident player, and if Pittsburgh opens the door, he’ll be ready for his opportunity.
